Witnessing first hand the life-saving power of blood donations across her career, nursing lecturer Ainsley James knew how important it was to donate.
Getting over her own needle related fears, she organised for herself and her colleagues at Monash Gippsland’s School of Nursing and Midwifery to donate blood at Traralgon Donor Centre recently.
The women have encouraged others to take up the blood challenge, which any group can participate in and pit their donation tally against other teams.
“We want to promote this to our students and other schools in the university, but we also put the challenge out there to other organisations… to get the blood supply up,” Ms James said.
“Reading that statistic; one in three people will need blood and only one in 30 donate, it’s such a big discrepancy.”
Ms James said while she was nervous on the day, knowing first hand what blood donations meant to those who need them pushed her to lend 470 millilitres of her own.
“We’ve all looked after people that have needed transfusions whether they’ve been surgical patients, or women with babies, or cancer patients, so we know how important it is,” Ms James said.
“I think we were all a little bit nervous, even as nurses, but it’s completely safe and you are well looked after.
“I think going as a group with family or friends makes it easier.”
She said while three of the eight were not eligible to donate on the day they would go back to donate again and going back was important too.
To register a group and join Club Red visit www.donateblood.com.au/who-can-give/club-red/join-group or to book an appointment phone
139 596.
